1948 – CANADA 0, CZECHOSLOVAKIA 0

With the world still finding its way out of World War II, the Olympic Winter Games returned from a 12-year- hiatus in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Canada had not participated in the 1947 IIHF World Championship due to a disagreement with the Ligue internationale de hockey sur glace (LIHG), the precursor to the International Ice Hockey Federation, over the definition of “amateur” and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association had initially withdrawn from the 1948 Olympics.

In the end, the RCAF Flyers, a team of active and former members of the Royal Canadian Air Force based in Ottawa, were selected to represent Canada in a tournament played outdoors in the Swiss Alps.

“The further we went without a loss, the worse it got,” Canadian forward Wally Halder said upon his return from Europe. “The playing conditions didn’t help and some of the games were staged on ice that couldn’t possibly have been worse.”

By the time the game against Czechoslovakia came around, the Canadians and Czechs had identical 5-0 records, with the European side ahead in the standings based on its superior goal differential (+55 to +49).

Despite combining for 123 goals in their first 10 games—Canada had 54, Czechoslovakia had 69—the two teams played one of only four goalless games in men’s Olympic hockey history.

Murray Dowey earned the shutout for the Canadians, one of the record-setting five he recorded in St. Moritz. The Toronto native fashioned the longest and third-longest shutouts streaks in Olympic history—225:25 across four games from Jan. 30-Feb. 3 and 195:30 across four games from Feb. 5-8 (which included the Czech game).

Other Games

1932 – Canada scored the game’s first four goals as part of a 4-1 win over Germany, improving to 2-0 in Lake Placid.

1936 – Bill Thomson scored four goals—three in the first period, including the fastest two ever by a Canadian to start a game (2:00)—to spark Canada to an 8-1 win over Poland in the tournament opener in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

1968 – Roger Bourbonnais scored twice and Ray Cadieux made history with a goal just nine seconds into the second period—the fastest to start a period in Canadian Olympic history—to help Canada open its schedule in Grenoble with a 6-1 win over West Germany.

UPDATE: The game between Canada and Finland has been postponed and will now be played on Feb. 12 at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT.

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (FEB. 5)

The road to a sixth Olympic gold medal begins Thursday as Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team faces Finland to begin Group A play at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan.

How We Got Here

The 23-player roster named to represent Team Canada was announced Jan. 9, and features a mix of experience and first-timers. Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team includes 16 players who helped capture a fifth gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and 20 who earned a silver medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Seven players—Jenn Gardiner, Julia Gosling, Sophie Jaques, Kristin O’Neill, Kayle Osborne, Kati Tabin and Daryl Watts—will make their Olympic debuts in Milan.

Last Game

Canada wrapped up the Rivalry Series against the United States in December, falling 4-1 to the Americans in the series finale in Edmonton. Brianne Jenner provided all the offence, scoring her 50th goal with Canada’s National Women’s Team, while Ann-Renée Desbiens made 28 saves.

Last Meeting

On the Olympic stage, the Canadians and Finns met in Group A action in Beijing, with Canada earning an 11-1 win. Sarah Fillier opened the scoring just 61 seconds into the game. Jenner and Sarah Nurse each recorded hat tricks, with Jenner adding an assist for a four-point performance, and Natalie Spooner had four helpers.

More recently, Canada faced Finland in the semifinals of the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, recording a 8-1 win to secure a spot in the gold medal game. Watts scored twice and Claire Thompson had a goal and two assists for the Canadians, who scored the final eight goals after the Finns struck in the game’s first minute.

What to Watch

As they usually are, all eyes are on Marie-Philip Poulin. The Canadian captain is within striking distance of the all-time Olympic goal-scoring record, sitting just one behind another icon of the game—Hayley Wickenheiser. Poulin has played 22 Olympic games (four back of Wickenheiser and Jayna Hefford for the most by a Canadian), recording 17 goals and 35 points. Milano Cortina will mark the fifth Games for the Beauceville, Quebec, native, making her just the third Canadian (alongside Wickenheiser and Hefford) to play five times on the biggest stage in sports.

Outside of Canada and the United States, Finland has won the most Olympic medals—taking home four bronze medals (1998, 2010, 2018, 2022). There are six Finns making their Olympic debuts (Sanni Ahola, Ida Kuoppala, Emilia Kyrkkö, Julia Schalin, Elli Suoranta and Siiri Yrjölä) and four who play in the PWHL (Ahola – Ottawa, Michelle Karvinen – Vancouver, Ronja Savolainen – Ottawa, Susanna Tapani – Boston). This is the fifth Olympics for Karvienen and the fourth for Tapani. And let’s not forget the legendary Jenni Hiirikoski; like her Canadian counterpart, the Finnish captain will play in her fifth Games, having earned Best Defence honours in 2014 and 2018, and a place on the media all-star team in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

A Look Back

This marks the eighth meeting between Canada and Finland at the Olympic Winter Games, and Canada has won every matchup so far.

The last time these teams played in Italy was at the 2006 Games, where Canada earned a 6-0 semifinal win. Cherie Piper scored twice, Gillian Apps had a goal and three assists, Wickenheiser recorded a goal and two helpers and Charline Labonté made 17 saves for the shutout.

All-time record: Canada leads 7-0
Canada goals: 40
Finland goals: 7

Since the Winnipeg Falcons represented Canada at the 1920 Olympic Summer Games, Canadian teams on the biggest stage in sports have worn jerseys that have celebrated the country, its provinces and communities and the Armed Forces.

But which one is the best?

That’s what we want to figure out… and we need your help!

We’ve selected 16 of our favourite Team Canada looks from the Olympics, and over the next 12 days—leading up to the first drop of the puck in Italy—we’re putting it to a vote across our social media channels – on X and Instagram Story.

The 16 Olympics represented in the vote include:

• 1920 Olympic Summer Games (Winnipeg Falcons)
• 1932 Olympic Winter Games (The Winnipegs)
• 1948 Olympic Winter Games (RCAF Flyers)
• 1952 Olympic Winter Games (Edmonton Mercurys)
• 1956 Olympic Winter Games (Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen)
• 1964 Olympic Winter Games
• 1968 Olympic Winter Games
• 1980 Olympic Winter Games
• 1988 Olympic Winter Games
• 1994 Olympic Winter Games
• 1998 Olympic Winter Games
• 2002 Olympic Winter Games
• 2010 Olympic Winter Games
• 2014 Olympic Winter Games
• 2018 Olympic Winter Games
• 2026 Olympic Winter Games

Votes will be combined across multiple platforms, so just because a jersey captures a higher percentage of the votes on one platform does not necessarily mean it will win the overall vote. Check out the bracket at the top of the page – it will be updated after each matchup.

Matchups in the first-round (two per day), quarterfinals and semifinals will be open for 24 hours, with the final lasting 48 hours to help us crown Team Canada’s best-ever Olympic look.

First Round
• January 24
• January 25
• January 26
• January 27

Quarterfinals
• January 28
• January 29
• January 30
• January 31

Semifinals
• February 1
• February 2

Final
• February 3-4

TORONTO, Ontario – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), has announced the 23-player roster nominated to represent Team Canada in women’s hockey at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

Canada’s roster includes three goaltenders, seven defence and 13 forwards:

• Goaltenders: Ann-Renée Desbiens (Clermont, QC/Montréal, PWHL), Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, AB/Vancouver, PWHL) and Kayle Osborne (Ottawa, ON/New York, PWHL).

• Defence: Erin Ambrose (Keswick, ON/ Montréal, PWHL), Renata Fast (Burlington, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Sophie Jaques (Toronto, ON/Vancouver, PWHL), Jocelyne Larocque (Ste. Anne, MB/Ottawa, PWHL), Ella Shelton (Ingersoll, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Kati Tabin (Winnipeg, MB/ Montréal, PWHL) and Claire Thompson (Toronto, ON/Vancouver, PWHL).

• Forwards: Emily Clark (Saskatoon, SK/Ottawa, PWHL), Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, ON/New York, PWHL), Jenn Gardiner (Surrey, BC/Vancouver, PWHL), Julia Gosling (London, ON/Seattle, PWHL), Brianne Jenner (Oakville, ON/Ottawa, PWHL), Emma Maltais (Burlington, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, ON/Vancouver, PWHL), Kristin O’Neill (Oakville, ON/New York, PWHL), Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, QC/ Montréal, PWHL), Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Laura Stacey (Kleinburg, ON/Montréal, PWHL), Blayre Turnbull (Stellarton, NS/Toronto, PWHL) and Daryl Watts (Toronto, ON/Toronto, PWHL).

Seven players—Gardiner, Gosling, Jaques, O’Neill, Osborne, Tabin, Watts—will make their Olympic debuts.

The 23 players nominated for the Games were selected by general manager Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC/Toronto, PWHL), head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, NS/Toronto, PWHL) and Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON), senior manager of player development and scouting. Assistant coaches Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS/Montréal, PWHL), Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC/Montréal, PWHL) and Britni Smith (Port Perry, ON/Syracuse University, AHA), along with goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood (Calgary, AB/Toronto, PWHL), also provided input. Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer, also provided support as part of the executive committee preparing for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

As part of the journey to Milan, Canada’s management and coaching staff evaluated players through training camps, as well as during the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and collegiate seasons, along with facing the United States in this season’s Rivalry Series.

“Paring down the roster to the final group to represent Canada is always a challenging process,” said Kingsbury. “We began the year with 30 athletes who trained with us throughout the season, while also evaluating a deep pool of talented players, ensuring every decision was carefully considered. We are confident we have selected a highly motivated and eager group who take great pride and passion in wearing the Maple Leaf. It has been a long four-year journey for our entire team, and we are excited for the opportunity to compete for a gold medal at the Olympics.”

Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team includes 16 players who helped capture Canada’s fifth gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China and 20 who earned a silver medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

“It is always an incredible honour to wear the Maple Leaf, and being selected to my fifth Olympic Games is something I never could have dreamed of as a little girl,” said Poulin. “Being part of Team Canada is so special; it is a moment of great pride and passion that we don’t take for granted as we hope to inspire more young girls to chase their dreams. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity ahead of us in Milan.”

In addition to gold in 2022, Canada won four straight Olympic gold medals in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014, and added silver medals in 1998 and 2018.

“Being selected to represent your country at the Olympic Winter Games is an incredible honour, and we congratulate these 23 incredible women for this outstanding achievement,” said Henderson.  “As proud Canadians, we are inspired by your accomplishments, and we can’t wait to cheer you on as you wear the Maple Leaf on the world stage and compete for a gold medal.”

In Milan, women’s hockey will take place Feb. 5-19 at both the Milano Rho Arena and Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Canada will be grouped with Czechia, Finland, Switzerland and the United States in Group A. Canada will open the Olympics against Finland on Feb. 5 at 3:10 p.m. ET/12:10 p.m. PT. It will also face Switzerland on Feb. 7 at 3:10 pm. ET/12:10 p.m. PT and Czechia on Feb. 9 at 3:10 p.m. ET/12:10 p.m. PT before closing out preliminary-round action against the United States on Feb. 10 at 2:10 p.m. ET/11:10 a.m. PT.

"Composed of elite professionals, Canada’s women’s Olympic hockey team reflects the strength and standard of the women’s game in this country," said Jennifer Heil, Team Canada's Milano Cortina 2026 chef de mission. "I’m proud to mark this moment with this group, who embody the excellence of Canadian hockey, and the heart and strength of a generation that has never stopped believing in itself. Behind every name is a network of coaches, staff, clubs and families, and we’re grateful for the communities that helped get these athletes to this moment as we turn toward Milano Cortina."

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organizations.

The latest Team Canada roster can be found here and the qualification tracker can be found here.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s (Olympic) Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – With less than 100 days until the start of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Hockey Canada has unveiled the two jerseys that Canada’s women’s, men’s and para hockey teams will wear in Milan, Italy.

The Team Canada Olympic and Paralympic hockey jersey, which include traditional red and white versions that were designed by Nike, was unveiled Thursday night during the TSN and RDS broadcast of the Rivalry Series game between Canada’s National Women’s Team and the United States in Cleveland, Ohio.

“With the Olympics and Paralympics rapidly approaching, and as fans eagerly await the start of the women’s, men’s and para hockey tournaments in Milan, we are excited to unveil the jerseys our athletes will wear as they represent all Canadians across the country and around the world on the biggest stage,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “These Olympic and Paralympic jerseys perfectly reflect Canadian hockey and the passion Canadian fans bring when cheering on our athletes, and we look forward to seeing our teams and fans alike wear them with pride as we look to capture gold medals in Italy.”  

The jersey’s iconic Maple Leaf crest combines sublimated satin twill and silicon to create the look of an unbreakable diamond, reflecting the ability of Canadian hockey legends of the past and present to withstand incredible pressure. It also represents the commitment to excellence that all Canadians expect, unifying players and fans by honouring the legacy of the Maple Leaf and hockey’s importance throughout the country. The red jersey features a bold, multi-shade black Maple Leaf with two black stripes on the arms and across the bottom, and perforated white numbers on the back that allow the base colour of the jersey to be accented. The white jersey features a similar look, with a multi-tone red crest, two red stripes that differ in colour to match the crest and red perforated numbers on the back that give the jersey a clean and classic Canadian look.

Before Canada’s women’s, men’s and para hockey teams begin their quest for gold medals in Italy, fans can purchase their own Bauer replica jersey for as low as $149.99 (plus taxes) at shop.hockeycanada.ca starting Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT. All other retailers will have product available for sale starting Nov. 14. As part of a commitment from Hockey Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) to grow sport in Canada, a portion of the proceeds from all jersey sales will be reinvested into winter sports in the country.

“More than just uniforms, these jerseys reflect the pride, passion and history of Canada’s Olympic hockey legacy,” said David Shoemaker, chief executive officer and secretary general of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “These Games are an exciting time for hockey, marking not only the return of the NHL players, but the first Olympic Winter Games since the establishment of the PWHL. It’s truly a moment for the history books, and I for one can’t wait to cheer on the men’s and women’s teams at Milano Cortina 2026.”

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has announced the officiating roster for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Ten Hockey Canada officials—five referees and five linespersons—will take part in the tournament in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The officials are:

Referees:

• Mike Campbell (Surrey, BC/BC Hockey)
• Cianna Lieffers (Cudworth, SK/Hockey Saskatchewan)
• Elizabeth Mantha (Montréal, QC/Hockey Québec)
• Michelle McKenna (Moose Jaw, SK/Hockey Saskatchewan)
• Shauna Neary (Herring Cove, NS/Hockey Nova Scotia)

Linespersons:

• Alex Clarke (Drake, SK/Hockey Saskatchewan)
• Laura Gutauskas (Brampton, ON/OWHA)
• Justine Todd (Woodville, ON/OWHA)
• Tarrington Wyonzek (Yorkton, SK/Hockey Saskatchewan)
• Erin Zach (Elmira, ON/OWHA)

The IIHF has also selected Vanessa Stratton (Windsor, ON), women’s head coach of Hockey Canada’s Officiating Program of Excellence, to serve as an officiating coach for the women’s tournament.

“Officiating at the Olympic Games is the pinnacle of an amateur official’s career,” said Dan Hanoomansingh, officiating manager. “These officials have been working tirelessly towards this goal for the last four years, and it is a credit to their determination and skill that they have made it a reality.”

The selected officials participated in a lengthy evaluation process beginning in 2023 as part of the IIHF’s “Road to Milano.” Officials were evaluated in domestic competition, professional hockey and multiple IIHF tournaments prior to their final selection.

The officials for the men’s tournament will gather for a preparation camp in August in Buffalo, New York. The officials for the women’s tournament will attend a preparation camp in December in Europe.

The Hockey Canada Officiating Program is for anyone who is interested in officiating, from the grassroots to the international game. The 13 Members provide a path for anyone to participate in officiating, develop a love for the game and achieve their goals. For more information about the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.

CALGARY, Alberta – As part of the road to Italy, Hockey Canada has invited 92 players from its men’s, women’s and para hockey teams to attend its National Teams Orientation Camp, set for Aug. 26-28 in Calgary. 

The National Teams Orientation Camp is a three-day, off-ice event with players and staff from all three programs, which will include presentations, team-building opportunities, team meetings and media opportunities in preparation for the upcoming season.

“We are excited to unveil the 92 athletes who will kick off the road to Italy, and to bring our men’s, women’s and para hockey teams together for three days as the first step towards our goal of winning triple gold in February,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “While the next several months will bring intense evaluation and difficult roster decisions, we look forward to kicking off the season in Calgary and giving our athletes and staff a chance to come together and start to become one team as we set our sights on February.”

“This season will be an exciting time for Hockey Canada and for the sport as a whole, and we are excited to continue our preparation by welcoming 92 men’s, women’s and para hockey athletes to Calgary this summer,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer, who provides support to all three programs. “We certainly do not take for granted the opportunity and privilege we have to unite Canadians through our National Winter Sport, and we are confident that our national team athletes, coaches and staff will represent our country with tremendous pride on and off the ice as they deliver on our commitment to performance excellence.”

On the men’s side, 42 National Hockey League (NHL) players – including three goaltenders, 13 defencemen and 26 forwards – were selected by general manager Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, ON/St. Louis, NHL), assistant general managers Julien BriseBois (Greenfield Park, QC/Tampa Bay, NHL), Jim Nill (Hanna, AB/Dallas, NHL) and Don Sweeney (St. Stephen, NB/Boston, NHL), director of player personnel Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) and head coach Jon Cooper (Prince George, BC/Tampa Bay, NHL), with input from player relations advisor Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, SK) and Salmond.

The list includes three players who have won Olympic gold medals (Crosby, Doughty, Tavares), 12 who have won gold at the IIHF World Championship (Crosby, Ekblad, Hagel, Hill, MacKinnon, Marchand, McDavid, Montembeault, Reinhart, Scheifele, Stone, Weegar) and 13 who have won gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship (Bedard, Byfield, Crosby, Doughty, Makar, Marchand, McDavid, Morrissey, Point, Reinhart, Tavares, Theodore, Thomas). It also includes 19 Stanley Cup champions (Bennett, Binnington, Cirelli, Crosby, Doughty, Ekblad, Hill, MacKinnon, Makar, Marchand, Parayko, Point, Reinhart, Stone, Theodore, Thomas, Toews, Verhaeghe, Wilson), as well as all 24 players who were members of Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship-winning team.

On the women’s side, 30 players – four goaltenders, 10 defence and 16 forwards – will be a part of Canada’s National Women’s Team throughout the 2025-26 season, with players participating in training blocks and attending events during the year. The players were selected by general manager Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC/Toronto, PWHL), head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, NS/Toronto, PWHL) and Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON), senior manager of player development and scouting. Assistant coaches Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS/Montréal, PWHL), Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC/Concordia University, RSEQ) and Britni Smith (Port Perry, ON/Syracuse University, AHA), along with goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood (Calgary, AB/Toronto, PWHL), also provided input.

Included on the roster are 17 players who helped Canada win its fifth Olympic gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (Ambrose, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Maschmeyer, Nurse, Poulin, Shelton, Stacey, Spooner, Thompson, Turnbull, Zandee-Hart). It also includes 24 players who helped Canada win a silver medal at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Ambrose, Clark, Desbiens, Gardiner, Gascon, J. Gosling, Fast, Fillier, Jacques, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Nurse, O’Neill, Poulin, Primerano, Serdachny, Shelton, Spooner, Stacey, Thompson, Turnbull, Watts, Zandee-Hart).

As part of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, 20 players – including three goaltenders, six defenceman and 11 forwards – have been selected to participate in camps and events throughout the 2025-26 season. The athletes were selected by the coaching staff, with input from Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations, and Adam Janssen (Richmond Hill, ON), manager of hockey operations.

The roster includes nine players who claimed a silver medal at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games (Armstrong, Dixon, Dunn, Henry, Hickey, Kingsmill, Lavin, McGregor, Jacobs-Webb). It also includes 16 players who helped Canada win a gold medal at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary (Armstrong, Boily, Burnett, Cozzolino, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Hickey, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Kovacevich, Lavin, Lelièvre, McGregor, Watson).

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that its coaching staff from the 2024-25 season will lead Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Feb. 5-19, 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, NS/Toronto, PWHL) will be joined by assistants Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS/Montréal, PWHL), Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC/Concordia University, RSEQ) and Britni Smith (Port Perry, ON/Syracuse University, AHA), along with goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood (Calgary, AB/Toronto, PWHL).

“It is always an honour and privilege to be in this leadership position as we set our expectations and goals for the Olympics,” said Ryan. “We have a tremendous coaching staff that is committed to the vision and process, and I am excited for the journey ahead. We know our athletes are motivated to compete and we are eager to begin the work towards achieving something extraordinary in seven months time.”

The coaching staff was selected by National Women’s Team general manager Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC/Toronto, PWHL), in consultation with Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer, and Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations.

“We have made a conscious effort to create an environment for our athletes where consistency among our coaches creates trust and accountability in each other,” said Kingsbury. “Our staff are experienced, detail-oriented and passionate as they give our team the confidence to grow, compete and meet the challenges of both short-term and long-term competition. We continue to build something special with our group and we are excited to see it all come together as we compete for a gold medal in Milan.”

Ryan has served as head coach of the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) for the past two seasons, earning PWHL Coach of the Year honours in 2023-24. He is entering his sixth season as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team, guiding the team to a gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. Ryan also earned a silver medal as an assistant coach at the 2018 Olympics. Ryan has added three gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championship (2021, 2022, 2024) in addition to silver medals in 2023 and 2025. As an assistant coach, he earned a silver medal at the 2017 Women’s Worlds and bronze in 2019, and won a silver medal as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

Cheverie has served as head coach of the PWHL’s Montréal Victoire for the last two seasons, earning PWHL Coach of the Year honours this season after guiding the Victoire to first place in the regular-season standings. She has won silver medals as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2023 and 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championships, and also added gold medals as an assistant coach at Women’s Worlds in 2021, 2022 and 2024, in addition to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Cheverie became the first woman to serve on the coaching staff with one of Canada’s national men’s teams at the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship. Nationally, she won a silver medal as head coach of Team Nova Scotia at the 2023 Canada Winter Games, the province’s first-ever medal in women’s hockey. She was also the first woman hired as a full-time assistant coach in U SPORTS, spending five seasons (2016-21) with the Ryerson University men’s hockey team.

Ouellette has been the associate head coach at Concordia University since 2021, and recently completed her first season as an assistant coach with the PWHL’s Montréal Victoire. As an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team, she won gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championship in 2022 and 2024, in addition to silver medals in 2023 and 2025, and bronze in 2019. A Team Canada legend during a 17-year playing career, Ouellette won four Olympic gold medals and six world championships and recorded 242 points (87-155—242) in 220 games, the third-most in National Women’s Team history. She was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2023.

Smith recently completed her third season as head coach at Syracuse University. Prior to joining the Orange, she was an assistant coach at Clarkson University (2014-22), winning NCAA national championships in 2017 and 2018. Smith won a silver medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship and earned silver medals as an assistant with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in 2016 and 2020. Smith also served as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team in 2018-19.

Kirkwood has held the role of goaltending assistant with the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres for the past two seasons. He has served as goaltending consultant for Canada’s National Women’s Team since 2015, winning a gold medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games alongside a silver medal in 2018. Kirkwood has also won three gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championship (2021, 2022, 2024), in addition to four silver medals (2016, 2017, 2023, 2025), and won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team at the 2015 Nations Cup.

Hockey Canada also announced the support staff that will work with Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2025-26 season:

• Senior manager of player development and scouting Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON)
• Video coach Andrew Boucher (Timmins, ON)
• Strength and conditioning coach Vicki Bendus (Wasaga Beach, ON/Montréal, PWHL)
• Equipment managers Alana Goulden (Aurora, ON/Toronto, PWHL) and Blair Smook (Airdrie, AB)
• Team physician Laura Bennion (Vancouver, BC)
• Therapists Christine Atkins (Fort Macleod, AB) and Danielle McNally (Wolfville, NS)
• Massage therapist Meagan Cowell (London, ON)
• Performance Coach Judy Riege (Calgary, AB)
• Senior hockey operations manager Dylan Rockwell (Calgary, AB)
• Hockey operations manager Savannah Newton (Halifax, NS)
• Hockey operations coordinator Cassidy Wait (North Vancouver, BC)
• Media relations manager Esther Madziya (Lethbridge, AB)

Canada will open the Olympics against Finland on Feb. 5 at 3:10 p.m. ET/12:10 p.m. PT at Milano Rho Arena. It will also face Switzerland on Feb. 7 at 3:10 pm. ET/12:10 p.m. PT and Czechia on Feb. 9 at 3:10 p.m. ET/12:10 p.m. PT before closing out preliminary-round action against the United States on Feb. 10 at 2:10 p.m. ET/11:10 a.m. PT. The semifinals are set for Feb. 16 before the gold medal game on Feb. 19 at 1:10 p.m. ET/10:10 a.m. PT.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that Stanley Cup champion Misha Donskov (London, ON) has joined the organization as vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national teams coach, effective immediately.

Reporting to Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Donskov brings National Hockey League (NHL) experience as an executive and coach to the organization and will be responsible for implementing the vision and strategies for Hockey Canada’s men’s, women’s and para hockey teams, and strengthen the alignment between the organization’s hockey operations and business operations staffs.

Donskov will also serve as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team at the IIHF World Championship, as assistant coach with the Men’s Olympic Team and as associate coach with Canada’s National Junior Team.

“We are thrilled to name Misha to his role today as he will play a critical role to ensure Canada’s national teams are set up for sustained success when representing our country on the world stage,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer. “Misha is a proven winner, collaborative leader and unwavering in his commitment to supporting our athletes, coaches and staff, and we know he will make Canadians proud throughout his work with Hockey Canada.

“We received a tremendous number of applications from candidates in Canada, across North America and around the world for this position and appreciate their interest in the role as part of the extensive recruitment process.”

Donskov recently completed his second season as an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars after spending parts of four seasons as an assistant coach (2020-23) with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2023. Before joining the Golden Knights coaching staff, he was the team’s director of hockey operations for four seasons (2016-20). Internationally, Donskov has been part of a number of successful Canadian teams, including championships as an assistant coach at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He also won gold at two IIHF World Championships (2015, 2016) and one IIHF World Junior Championship (2015) as manager of hockey operations, analytics and video, and won the 2019 Spengler Cup as director of hockey operations and assistant coach as well as the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament as video coach.

Donskov spent five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights (2009-12) and Ottawa 67s (2012-14), highlighted by an OHL championship as London’s assistant general manager and assistant coach in 2012. In addition to his coaching and management career, Donskov has extensive experience in hockey development, including previous NHL roles with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers.

Prior to pursuing a full-time career in hockey, Donskov spent six years with Cardinal Health, a Fortune 500 global, integrated healthcare solutions company. He held roles of increasing responsibility in finance, sales, and sales management. He holds a master's degree in kinesiology with a specialization in coaching education from the University of Western Ontario.

“It is a tremendous honour to be trusted to serve as Vice President, Hockey Operations and National Men’s Teams Coach for Hockey Canada,” said Donskov. “I would like to thank the Hockey Canada Board, Katherine Henderson and Scott Salmond for this incredibly unique opportunity. Hockey Canada has played a significant role in my hockey journey and development — both personal and professional. I am excited to be returning to Hockey Canada to help support our world leading teams, programs and people. In addition, I would like to thank Tom Gaglardi, Jim Nill and Pete DeBoer for affording me the privilege to coach in the National Hockey League and be a part of the Dallas Stars family and organization.”

This is the second critical hockey operations staff announcement ahead of the 2025-26 international hockey season after Hockey Canada announced the hiring of Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON), the first full-time general manager of the Program of Excellence.

“Misha brings a coaching acumen and focus to Hockey Canada that our programs will benefit immensely from,” added Salmond. “With a full time general manager in Alan Millar and now the addition of Misha Donskov, we are in a great position as an organization moving forward.”

Additions to the Program of Excellence management group, as well as the coaching staffs, support staffs and rosters for the under-17, under-18 and under-20 programs will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.